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Brodeur Beats Red Wings In What Could Be His Devils Farewell

Brodeur Beats Red Wings In What Could Be His Devils Farewell

Mar 5, 2014

Coming into Tuesday night’s game against the Red Wings the Devils knew how big a game this was in the standings, only trailing Detroit by three points for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

For Devils fans the game was a big one for different reason as it could have been the last game at home and in a Devil uniform for goalie Martin Brodeur. With weeks of rumors, including one earlier in the day that had Brodeur traded to Minnesota Wild as a done deal- it had been a crazy day for Brodeur and nerve wracking for Devils fans who don’t want to see their legendary goalie traded.

The Devils did their best to send the fans home happy as they battled to defeat Detroit 4-3 on a goal by Stephen Gionta with 36.6 seconds left. “We found a way to win” said Travis Zajac who scored the Devils third goal to put them up 3-2. “I don’t think it was our best hockey as of late but it’s important to get the two points”

Two important points they need, but the night belonged to Brodeur who was serenaded with chants of Marty even before the first puck dropped. It wasn’t his best game but Brodeur stopped twenty shots for his 15th win of the season.

“We played well, it was a good win,” said Brodeur. “At the end of the day we didn’t give up any points to Detroit, it’s a team we a chasing”

Although big for the Brodeur and the Devils, the win seemed secondary after the game as the speculation continues if this was Brodeur’s last game as a Devil. “I’ve had some good conversations with Lou [Lamoriello] about what I want to do for the rest of the year and maybe next year” said Brodeur about the trade rumors. “From there it’s up for him to make the decision that he wants. He knows exactly where I stand”

Wherever he might stand on staying a Devil or leaving, Brodeur was not tipping his hand at anything. “These are private matters between me and him” added Brodeur. “It’s been a hard couple weeks. It’s been a hard last of the season with me not playing a lot”.

Devils head coach Peter DeBoer has done his best to ignore the distractions of all the trade rumors and appreciated his team’s ability to focus on the task at hand on the ice. “It starts at the top obviously. Lou limits as many distractions as he can for us”, he added. “We have not talked about the trade deadline at all. We are just going about business and trying to win games”

Despite a hectic schedule since the Olympic break, DeBoer was happy to that his team found a way to win and get the two important points. “It was a grind. It was a real trap game for us with four games in six nights out of the break”

Jaromir Jagr who recorded an assist on the Zajac goal to move into sole possession of 9th place all time on the NHL assist list knows the importance of the games against Detroit or any team in the hunt for that matter. “It was a playoff game,” he said. “Anyway you look at it they had 68 points we had 65. They are some games ahead. It’s a battle for the 7th and 8th spot.”

The Devils don’t have to wait long to face their Detroit again as they head to Detroit on Friday night.

“Going there is another big game for us. Obviously we know where we are at in the standings but we have to keep playing the way we have been,” said Patrik Elias who had an assist on the night to continue his hot play since returning from the Olympic break.

“It’s going to be another do or die game,” captain Bryce Salvador added on facing Detroit Friday. “We are in a position where we control our own fate.”

The Devils might be in a position to do that, but the Devils fans hope general manager Lou Lamoriello is not in a position announcing a trade of Martin Brodeur. One thing is for sure, traded at the deadline or not Brodeur will always be a Devil.

Photo Courtesy: Francisco Diez

 

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